Cervidh
The Cervidh are a highly spiritual people who appear almost Human (or more accurately, almost Fae). Their eternally youthful faces are framed by wild locks of hair ranging anywhere between deep browns to reds to deep greens. Pointed ears poke from beneath the hair, sometimes pierced with pieces of metal or bone. Above the ears a Cervidh's antlers (or rarely, horns) can be found. Generally these antlers are mostly brown or bone coloured and match their small deer-like hooves. Below the waist a Cervidh resembles the hind legs of a deer with short fur ranging anywhere between deep brown to light grey to orange-brown. From the waist up the differences between a Cervidh and Human are more difficult to notice. The Cervidh have small claws rather than nails which are used for digging for roots or in defense. They also possess larger canine teeth than a Human though the Cervidh are herbivorous. The Cervidh are well suited to cooler climates despite naturally lacking in body hair on their torso. A popular story for how the Cervidh lost much of their body hair is that during the devestation of a few hundred years ago hair from their chest, back and upper arms fell out and never regrew, though this explanation does not explain how later generations lack this hair. The only body hair to be found on their upper body aside from the hair on their heads is a long strip of hair growing from wrist to elbow. Often, a Cervidh will cover the hairless sections of their bodies with tattoos or body paint. Popular tattoos include vine-like designs, flowers, star constellations and religious symbols. These tattoos are clearly visible for a good portion of the year as the Cervidh rarely wear clothes during the warmer months. As some sapient beings seem to act funny around someone not wearing cloth on their lower half, a Cervidh will wear light long skirts or loose trousers in such company. During the winter, slightly heavier versions of these garments are popular coupled with fur-trimmed cloaks and a simple loose tunic. Older members of the Cervidh will wear belts with special ornate cloth hanging from the back to around knee length. Tales, music and dance are very important in Cervidh culture. It is nigh impossible to find a Cervidh who would refuse to participate in song, dance or story-telling. Music is played on a wide variety of instruments which the Tribe has accumulated knowledge of over time. Some of the more notable examples of instruments the Cervidh have played for centuries include the Nai Pipes named after the Goddess who enchanted any who listened with her music; a relatively large hollowed out branch called a Didgeridoo which the Cervidh did not develop but received from allies long ago now thought to be lost and a relatively recent invention called a Hurdy Gurdy after the people who helped the Cervidh create them. Instruments made of wood are relatively rare and valued among the Cervidh as the Kathuan Tribe refuse to steal from nature. As such, any wood which is used is wood that has been found. Occassionally, the Cervidh will Sing (see Sung Blossoms) to the trees asking for branches they could use which the tree could spare. It is unknown whether this has any effect at all, however, and some foreigners scoff at the idea of singing to a tree for wood. Unfortunately however, if singing to trees have any effect at all this effect is more or less negligible as the Kathuan Tribe are only able to gather a very small amount of wood each orbit. As such, wood is valued and used very sparingly. Rather than living in caravans (as some travelling folk the Kathuan Tribe have encountered before), the Kathuan Tribe sleep under the stars and have very little in the way of belongings. Occassionally, they will tie a blanket of cloth with ropes attached at either end between two trees to sleep on. When weather is rough and there is no shelter nearby, the Kathuan Tribe will erect large tents and gather beneath them with their animal companions. Such weather rarely catches the Cervidh offguard however, as they are very in tune with nature and can usually pick an optimal shelter for the weather to come. Above all, the Cervidh are a nature loving people. Most who choose to join them do as well and the rest usually either comes to love nature as much as the Cervidh or leave the Kathuan Tribes permenantly. Category:People Category:Demihumans Category:Peoples of Telluris